End-of-Year Recaps on Village Concerns: Bronxville Mayor

Written by Mayor Mary Marvin

As the end of the year swiftly approaches, it is timely to recap on many fronts.

Sales Tax

Our sales tax revenues are slightly lower than year to date. It will not have a budgetary impact because based on our prognostication of the trajectory of internet sales, we budgeted an even smaller revenue stream as compared to years’ past.

Parking Revenues

Meter revenues are up both in lots and on street. This is a result of an uptick in use which can only be a good omen for our businesses as well as the extension of the meter time from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. We expect a further revenue boost when the Kensington garage comes on line in the spring.

Ancillary Fixed Costs

We are already seeing an electrical savings as a result of the installation of the new energy efficient LED lights in the business district.

Our diesel and unleaded fuel costs were even lower than projected as was our liability insurance as we aggressively renegotiated our premiums. The new lighting and the extended foot candles/visibility aided in the recalculation of premium numbers. Building permit revenue was up but essentially as a result of the Kensington Road and NYP Lawrence Hospital Projects. Going forward, we expect building permits to level off as we are essentially built out as a community, and will rely only on the less expansive improvement of existing structures.

The “bad news” items are the projected increase in health care premiums estimated to be at least 7 percent and most likely more, and the unrealistic Rate of Return percentage on the New York State Pension Fund which will most probably not materialize resulting in increased local contribution.

FEMA Flood Mitigation Project

A massive auger boring machine will be staged in the coming days to bore 20 feet below Midland Avenue and thread a steel casing through the soil. The depth is required to avoid compromising the existing labyrinth of utilities and stormwater mains. The project is on schedule, moving forward as planned, weather permitting.

Kensington Development

All of the concrete work, which was very intrusive to neighbors and traffic flow, has been completed. The contractor will work through the winter months as planned. The placement of new granite curbing is underway and work is continuing on the interior of the parking garage readying for a spring opening. The sidewalk will be laid in January if the weather cooperates.

Parking

Pay Station kiosks that enable patrons to simply use their parking space number to purchase time are now available in the Garden Avenue Lot. The three kiosks are conveniently located and accept coins, dollar bills, five dollar bills and MasterCard and Visa. Patrons can also continue to use our pay-by-phone app PANGO if that is more convenient.

Leaf Pickup Going Forward

I opened the conversation by design just at the close of this season’s cycle so we as Villagers can have a deliberative discussion on the merits of mulching in place, collecting leaves in compostable bags, vacuum truck pick-up curbside or a combination thereof.

A gardening lobbying group quickly descended on the Village to refute the merits of everything but labor intensive manual leaf removal.

Please be assured our conversation will include residents, Village Public Works staff and our local gardening companies who serve us so loyally. I don’t anticipate engaging the advice of any lobbying groups in our Village decision making.

Whatever we decide as a community, we do have to change the habit of depositing leaves in the public right of way. Their slipperiness and narrowing of the roadway have contributed to auto accidents, and when washed down the streets after a rainstorm, our sewers are clogged. We then spend far too much of your taxpayer dollars on cleaning out our storm sewer system solely due to leaf obstruction.

Business District Public Comment

Many of you responded with very helpful, constructive comments on the issue of maintaining the vitality of our business.

A sampling of the comments:

• Continue to discourage the large national chains or in the alternative bring in high end or “anchor” ones.
• Take advantage of the burgeoning youth population and provide more young child services/activities including art studios, Gymboree and children’s music spaces.
• Make parking signage clearer and modernize meters to accept all varieties of payment.
• More vigilance both from the Village and shop owners in keeping the streets and storefronts clean and attractive and sidewalks free of debris.
• Extend store hours into the evening to accommodate Villagers who want to shop in town but never arrive home by a 5 p.m. close.
• Add a hardware store to the mix.

On behalf of my fellow Trustees and the Village Hall staff, I wish you happiness and family joy as you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah in the coming days.

Photo credit: Google Maps.